Tag.



JOHN' PRAETZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TAG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

' Application filed. April 20, 1910. Serial No. 556,479.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PRAETZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Brooklyn and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tags, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to tags, and more particularly to baggage tags of thepocketed type, adapted to hold a suitable card. Such tags are usually provided with a short strap or some like means for securing the tag to a piece of luggage, suoli for example as a valise or dress suit case, and are commonly made of leather, although other material may be used. Heretofore it has been customary to form tags of this character by sewing or stitching together two pieces of leather of substantially identical outline, one of the pieces or sections having an aperture provided therethrough through which the card placed between the leather parts may be exposed. The upper portion of the tag is slotted through both of the leather sections for the reception of the retaining strap; and the stitching does not extend across this upper portion in order to permit of the insertion of the card between the respective sections aforesaid.

My invention has for its object the provision of a protecting flap or cover for the card so that the name of the owner may not be exposed to the View of every passer-by; such cover being provided with means for retaining it neatly in its position, while yet affording ready inspection of the card when needed.

A further object of my invention is to so form this Hap or cover that the same is integrally united with and forms a part of the tag proper, and when in its normal position is flush with the surface of the tag.

A further object of my invention is to provide this Hap with a suitable extension or tab which also is formed integrally there with and which tab is downwardly directed from the supporting strap and carries a portion of a fastening device; the arrangement of parts being such that the Hap cannot inadvertently become unfastened although readily raisable at will.

A further object is to so form my tag as to effect the utmost economy of material in the manufacture of the same. I also so arrange my fastening means for the flap that a card or the like which may be placed in the pocket will not be disfigured or marred by the securing means.

Further objects of my invention will be hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof and in which like reference characters designate like parts in the respective views: Figure l is aplan view of my tag and its attaching strap; and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal median section therethrough showing the flap in a partly open position, the securing means being disen gaged; and the attaching strap being shown in end elevation.

The tag is composed of two principal parts or sections, the bottom section being designated l and the upper section or side 2. The sections'ina-y be of any suitable contour, as for example that shown in the drawing, and are preferably secured together around three of the sides thereof by pasting the edges together and by stitching the said edges in the manner shown at 3 by dotted lines in Fig. l. The paste preferably does not extend inward farther than the line of stitching, so that a card may be. freely inserted from Vthe unsewed end 4 when the fastening or attaching strap 5 has been disengaged from the tag. This strap is of the usual description and comprises la buckle 6 and a slip ring 7, the strap being passed through slots S in thc upper extremities or portions 4. It is of course evident that when the card 9, shown in section in Fig. 2, has been inserted in the pocket between the sections l and 2, and the strap 5 has been properly secured to the tag, that the card cannot inadvertently fall out. The upper section 2 is provided with a tongue or flap 10 which is formed by slitting the body of the section in the manner shown at 1l in Fig. 1. The slits ll at their upper ends converge slightly toward each other so as to provide a reduced neck 12 to more readily allow the flap to be raised to permit inspection of the card. The blanking of the section and the slitting thereof is preferably done in one operation and provides an integral structure which actually comprises three depending strips all united together at their upper extremities; the central strip being the tongue 10 aforesaid and such tongue being flanked by the two laterally disposed strips 13. A tab 14 extends downwardly from the tongue 10 between the ini wardly directed lower ends 15 of the strips 13.

When sections 1 and 2 have been placed together and properly secured by pasting, strips 13 of the upper section are stitched to the bottom section leaving the tongue entirely free; and such stitching is preferably so disposed as to hold the ends 15 of the flanking strips firmly in position against section 1 while aording sufficient space above the bottom line of the stitching for the insertion of the lower edge of the card 9. The securing device for the flap or tongue preferably consists of a stud 16 and socketed button 17 such devices being of course old and well known. The exposed head 18 of the button 17 is preferably quite flat extending very slightly above the surface of the Hap, and such head may be ornamental or may be colored to match the leather or like material of which the tag is formed.

I especially desire to point out the particularly advantageous disposition of the tab which is carried by tongue 10. In the first place this tab extends downwardly from the tongue and is an integral part thereof. By making the tab, the tongue andthe sides or strips 13 integral, I save both material and labor, there being no necessity for sewing on the tab; and furthermore a tab of proper length is obtained by merely extending the end thereof out a very short distance beyond the general bottom line of sections 1 and 2, this being due to the fact that the bulk of this tab is obtained directly from the material which constitutes the body of the upper section 2. Furthermore, when the tongue is in its dowmnost position, and flat against the card, there are no projections upon the upper or lower surfaces of the tag except the small flat button 18. The downward disposition of the tab prevents any possibility of the flap becoming inadvertently unfastened since no projecting parts are exposed which can be engaged by any object passing downwardly or across the face of the tag which might engage this tab to unfasten the same, and any upward movement of an umbrella or the like will merely raise the tag as a whole, which movement is unopposed and will hence not tend to unfasten the tab. The tab being integral with the tongue will not readily tear oft as Vit would if stitched. I desire also to call attention to the fact that my tag is a two piece structure, both pieces being substantially identical in outline. Finally, it should be observed that as the tab 14 serves as a covering for the central portion of the bottom edge of the card; when the flap is raised such portion of the edge is exposed so that it may be readily engaged by the finger to displace the card upwardly when it is desired to remove the same from the tag.

Having described my invention, what I claim, is

1. A tag comprising a back and a front section secured together at their sides and at points along the bottom thereof to form a pocket adapted for the reception of a card, the front section being slit along two lines te form a flap, an extremity of said flap extending downwardly beyond the bottom of said pocket and covering a portion `of the edge of the card when the latter is in its bottommost position in the pocket, the flap when raised exposing said portion of the edge of the card to permit engagement thereof by the linger so that the card may be pushed up out of the pocket.

2. A tag comprising a back and a front section secured together to form a pocket adapted for the reception of a card, the front section being slit downwardly along two lines to form a flap with an integral tab at the lower end thereof, the end. of said tab being free and projecting downwardly below the bottom edge of the back section, to facilitate raising the flap.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN PRAEIZ.

W'itnesses:

lVALDo M. GHAPIN, VILLIAM C. LARY. 

